


Rematch

by Etoile_Filante



Category: RWBY
Genre: Fair Game's typical amount of flirting, Flirting, M/M, Self-Esteem Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-10
Updated: 2020-01-10
Packaged: 2021-02-27 05:33:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22191862
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Etoile_Filante/pseuds/Etoile_Filante
Summary: Tyrian is in Atlas and it's clear that he's looking for a fight. Qrow remembers their first meeting all too well and wants a rematch. What happens when Clover decides he wants to come on this very personal mission?
Relationships: Qrow Branwen/Clover Ebi
Comments: 6
Kudos: 129





	Rematch

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! It's me again! Tyrian being in Atlas is really exciting to me as his fight with Qrow is one of my favourite fight in RWBY. So I took a little bit of angst, a good amount of Qrow wanting to be a better person and added some Fair Game on top. You're welcome.  
> Please keep in mind that English is not my mother-tongue. I hope you enjoy!

With Tyrian in Atlas, it was clear that team JNR and Ruby were on edge. Their first meeting with the scorpion Faunus was still way too vivid in their heads. The shame of being taken out so quickly, the realization of what their enemies were really capable of, the confusion and fear of not understanding who said enemies were and what they wanted - it was still here. Not that Qrow could blame them. His first meeting with Tyrian wasn’t exactly a pleasant memory either, getting poisoned, almost dying and all that. He would take a thousand more shots of poison to protect the kids, but he still would rather avoid it. Not that they would let it happen. They all had grown so much since that fight. Their skills had improved and were now those of professionals. But they were still so young....

So, when Ironwood scheduled a meeting to discuss the Tyrian situation, Qrow already knew this was his mission and his alone. It was only fair after all, he had to settle the score. Last time was his own mistake, he let himself be distracted in a very unprofessional way for a Huntsman with this much experience on the field. But this time, the match would be even. No distractions.

"You're thinking of taking the mission too, am I right? "

Ah fuck. So much for no distractions.

Because of course Clover Ebi had to show up right next to him. In addition to being attractive and smooth, the guy was also incredibly inconspicuous. Although not everything about him was as subtle as his walk. From the corner of his eye, Qrow could see the Ace Ops Leader looking at him with a smile on his smile. Then again, it was nothing new. Qrow had noticed that Clover seemed to be unable to **not** smile around him. Right. No distractions.

"Yeah and I intend to take it alone. Try next time, Lucky Charm." said Qrow walking away in a weak attempt to avoid having to justify himself.

“Nice try handsome, I’m coming with you on this one.” answered Clover, following his step. “From what I’ve heard, Tyrian is really dangerous. I’m not letting you go alone.”

“Yeah exactly, from what you’ve _heard_. You have no idea how he fights, how fast and flexible he is and how you have to constantly watch out for that damn tail of his. I’m going alone, end of the story.”

“But-”

“I SAID NO, EBI.” shouted Qrow.

He immediately regretted raising his voice. This wasn’t him anymore, he wasn’t this loud obnoxious drunk who couldn’t listen, he wasn’t! And if there was one person who didn’t deserve to be on the receiving end of his unstable emotions, it was Clover. The guy had been nothing but smiles and supportive comments from the very beginning. Qrow put his hand on his forehead just for a moment, trying to collect himself before apologizing to the man next to him, who didn’t seem to be offended about the shape-shifter’s outburst.

“It’s alright.” he said softly. “Let’s go back to my room, I think we both could use a drink.”

Knowing Clover would never be insensitive enough to offer him anything with alcohol in it, Qrow just nodded and blindly followed him to his suite.

🍀🍀🍀🍀

A few minutes later, he was on Clover’s couch with a coffee in his hands and his feet on the table. He had seen Clover’s disapproving look but as the other man kept silence, Qrow assumed it was fine. They had been dancing around each other for a few weeks now and Clover tended to be quite straightforward with his words….  
Like he was with his flirting.

Still, when Clover sat next to him, Qrow removed his feet from the table. Not because he was trying to please the other man, no. He just wasn’t comfortable anymore…

“So,” began Clover. “Are you going to tell me what’s wrong?” 

“Nothing’s wrong.” mumbled Qrow. “I just want this mission to be my own. I’ve got history with the guy and I need my rematch”

“You’ve fought Tyrian before.”

I was more a statement than a question and Qrow’s silence was the only confirmation that Clover needed. Qrow looked away. Did he really want to tell Clover the story? Never mind the cool moves he pulled during that fight, that fight was about him failing to take down an enemy that was after the kids, getting poisoned and saved by team JNP and Ruby and thanking them months later by almost losing them because of his alcoholism. Not to mention how his Semblance almost got his niece killed. While Clover seemed very aware that Qrow was a legendary Huntsman _and_ a human, the last thing Qrow wanted the man to see him as was a failure. He had figured out that Qrow used to have a drinking problem quite quickly, but he had yet to see the really ugly sides of it. The blackouts, the fights, the disappointments in his family’s eyes and later, in the kids’ he was supposed to protect. He had failed as an uncle and a Huntsman and – 

“It’s fine if you don’t want to talk.”

Qrow sighed. That man and his good heart will be the death of him. He didn’t want him to go on this mission with him. He really didn’t. But he knew the man enough by now to understand that opening up to him was his only chance of getting him to stay behind. 

So he did.

“Listen I’ve…ugh yeah. I’ve fought Tyrian before. The kids were no match to him, so I had to step up and protect them. And I lost. He got away but managed to poison me before running away because I was distracted. I nearly died from it and I was nothing but a dead weight on Ruby and the others’ shoulders for a while. Tyrian is not a Grimm. He might be reckless but he’s smart, fast and he moves well. He has experience fighting and he loves it. Those are the most dangerous enemies.”

“That’s all the more reason for me to come with yo- “

“During that fight, my Semblance almost got Ruby killed. When you’re fighting someone like Tyrian, you can’t afford bad luck. A couple of seconds is all he needs to strike you down. I almost lost Ruby to that bastard, I am not losing you” finished Qrow.

He was exhausted. That fight and the person he was back then were not pleasant memories. Why couldn’t Clover just listen and back down? Why couldn’t he understand that Qrow was trying to protect him? He felt a warm weight on his shoulder and hated how he instantly relaxed under Clover’s hand. Was this guy a professional therapist in addition to being a walking lucky charm?

“I can come with you. Wait listen!” begged Clover before Qrow could even say anything. “I know you think your Semblance is responsible for everything, but you don’t have to worry about that around me, you know that! My Semblance will keep us safe, both of us” promised Clover before catching Qrow’s hand in his own.

A few minutes of silence passed, and Clover could almost hear the war going on in Qrow’s brain. Finally, he spoke again.

“Listen. I have to do this. I was not the man I am today back then, and I want to make things right for me. It starts with winning against Tyrian. You want me to take someone? Fine. I’ll take anyone but you. Can’t afford to be worried about you while I’m fighting him” 

It was scary really, how natural it felt to be worried about Clover, to talk to him and even to hold his hand. Those feelings were practically unknown to the shapeshifter and he didn’t want to lose this. Couldn’t afford to lose this. Looking at the other man, he saw that Clover was still debating on what to do, so Qrow decided to play his last card.

“Alright,” he thought. “Here goes nothing”

“I’ll make you a deal. Leave this mission to me and I’ll take you out on a date when I’m back. ”

Now that seemed to do the trick and oh no Clover was smiling. It was a good sign obviously, but it made it a bit hard for Qrow to concentrate on the man’s words when he was looking at him _like that_.

“There’s no changing your mind, is there.”

“There isn’t.”

Clover let out a huge sigh, his smile never leaving his face.

“Fine. I won’t go, but please take someone with you. I’m not letting you do this alone. Also don’t take too many hits, I don’t want people to stare at your beaten face when we go on our date.”

“Oh, so you’re just in it for my body huh?” smiled Qrow, trying (and failing) to hide his relief at the man’s acceptance of his deal.

“Yeah.” answered Clover, gripping Qrow’s hand a little harder. “That and a couple of other things.”

A few minutes of silence passed before Qrow decided to stand up. He missed the warmth of Clover’s hand in his as soon as he let go, but he had work to do now.

“I’ll head to James’ office. Tell him I’ll take care of Tyrian.”

“Alright.” smiled Clove. “You better be careful.”

“Shouldn’t you encourage me a bit more than that? You know, I’ve heard “good luck” kisses are a thing.”

“Absolutely not” laughed the Ace Ops leader. “I had to earn my date, you'll have to earn your kiss.”

“And how exactly do I do that?” 

“Come back to me.”

**Author's Note:**

> It's almost 3am and I wrote that under an hour, I just wanted to post before going to bed.  
> I don't know if in-character Clover would back down from a fight like this, but in the opening, Robyn is the one who is shown fighting alongside Qrow so here's what I came up with.  
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
